Display device or container for silverware



Aug. 3 ,1926. 1,594,401 A. L. ZEITUNG- DISPLAY DEVICE OR CONTAINER FOR SILVERWARE Filed March 28. 1924 INVENTIOR HA. zf/Tu/v. v

A TTORNE YS Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES I 1,594,401 PATENT orrlca.

ALPECK L. ZEITUNG, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL SILVER COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DISPLAY DEVICE OR CONTAINEIR- FOE SILVERWARE.

Application filed March 28, 1924. Serial No. 702,680.

My invention relates to display devices or containers for silverware, and has for its object to improve devices of this charactor as will hereinafter appear. The in vention consists in a combined tray of the usual serving tray construction, and a container or holder for silverware of greater height than the depth of the tray which is adapted to be placed in the tray for display purposes, and is adapted to be lifted out of the tray so as to permit the tray to be used by the housekeeper as a serving tray, the holder with the silverware thereon being placed in the buffet drawer if desired;

When the silverware holder is placed in the tray the sides of the tray hold it from movement and provide an attractive border or frame surrounding the silverware. The arrangement is such that the silverware is displayed to the best advantage and the complete device may be easily stacked and packed for handling and shipping purposes.

The following is a description of a pre ferred embodiment of my invention, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved device with the silverware placed therein;

Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of a tray of the usual serving tray construction constituting a component part of the device;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of another component part of the device, which comprises a supporting member having racks mounted thereon for holding silverware, the silverware being removed; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale and partly in elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

My improved display device or container for silverware. illustrated in the drawings is provided with a tray 2 which is of the usual serving tray construction having a rectangular bottom-wall 4:, four side walls 6 with vertical inner faces, and handles 8 secured on the end side walls and projecting a distance above the side walls. The de vice is further provided with a container or holder for silverware comprising a supporting member or board 10 which is adapted to be removably placed on the bottom of the traywith its edges substantially fitting the side walls ofthe tray. Rack members 12 comprising suitably slotted blocks are secured on the supporting member 10 in position to hold knives 13 adjacent to and parallel with one of the longitudinal sides of the tray, with the knife blades arranged centrally and with their blades vertical. A rack member 14 comprising a. suitably slotted block is secured on the supporting member at the oposite side of the longitudinal center line of the tray from said knife holding rack members 12, and spaced a distance from said center line, the rack member 14: being for the purpose of holding spoons, forks and other silverware 15 transversely of the tray. The rack member 14: has slots each deep enough to receive a plurality of articles of silverware and projects a distance above the sides of the tray so as to position its top surface somewhat above the top of the sides of the tray and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the top surfaces of the tray handles 8, and the rack members 12 are of suitable height to position the back edges of the knife blades substantially in said horizontal plane. The rack members12 and 14 and their supporting member 46 are covered with cloth or other material 16.

With this construction it will be apparent I that the housekeeper may lift the silverware container or holder out of the tray and place it in the buffet drawer, and then may make use of the tray for serving purposes, It will also be apparent that when the silverware holder and silverware is placed in the tray, the sides of the tray keep the holder from shifting and form an at-.

tractive border or frame for the silverware, and the arrangement is such that the silverware is displayed to the best advantage, the length of the rack member 14 permitting a large variety of silverware tobe displayed and the height of the member permitting the slots therein to be of sufficient depth to v hold any desired quantity of silverware. The arrangement of the top surfaces of the rack member 14, tray handles 8, and the back edges of the knifeblades in substantially the same horizontal plane, permits a number of the devices to be stacked one upon the other and prevents the marring of one tray by another the upper tray being thereby spaced away from the sides of the lower tray. I

As will be evident to those skilled in the ing a bottom wall, side walls, and handles on and projecting a distance above the end side walls, a supporting member removably placed on the bottom of'the tray with its edges substantially fitting the side walls of the tray, rack members securedion said sup porting memberfor holding knives with the knife blades vertical and parallel with and. adjacent to one of the longitudinal sides of the tray, and a rack member secured on said supporting member, extending 'longitudi-' nally of the tray and spaced a distance on the opposite side of the longitudinal center line of the tray from said knife holding rack members for holding silverware transversely of the tray, said knife holding rack members being of suitable height to position the back edges of the knife blades in a plane above the sides of said tray and the top surface of said longitudinally extending rack member being arranged substantially in the same horizontal plane so that a superimposed tray will be spaced away from the walls of said first mentioned tray.

2. A display device for silverware having, in combination, a rectangular tray having a bottom wall, side walls, and handles on and projecting a distance above the end side walls, a supporting member removably placed on the bottom of the tray with its edges substantially fitting the side walls of the tray, rack members secured on said supporting member for holding knives with the knife blades vertical and parallel with and adjacent to one of the longitudinal sides of the tray, and a rack member secured on said supporting member, extending longitudinally of the tray and spaced a distance on the opposite side of the longitudinal center line of the tray from said knife holding rack members'for holding silverware transverselyof the tray, the top surfaces of said tray handles and the top surface of said longitudinally extending rack member being arranged slibstantially in the same horizontal lane above the sides of said tray, said knife holding rack members being of suitable height to position the back edges of the knife blades substantially in said horizontal plane so that a superimposed tray will be spaced away from the walls of said first mentioned tray.

3. A display device for silverware having in combination a tray having a bottom and side walls projecting upwardly there from, a removable supporting member resting on the bottom of said tray with its edges fitting said side walls, a rack for holding flatware secured to said supporting member parallel to a medial line of said tray and extending above said side walls, and rack members for holding knives secured to said supporting member on the opposite side of said medial line and adapted to hold the blades of said knives vertically with their upper edges above the walls of said tray so that a superimposed tray will be spaced away from the walls of the first mentioned tray.

4. A display device for silverware having in combination a tray having a bottom and side walls projecting upwardly therefrom, a removable supporting member resting on the bottom of said tray with its edges fitting said side walls, a rack for hold- 

